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“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16).
This is something that is very important for each of us as Christians. When we know we have done wrong, our conscience bothers us, and our souls are not free to enjoy the Lord. Also, we will lack that freedom and boldness that we should have before the world. The Apostle Paul had a tender conscience, and was bold before men like Felix, the Roman governor, and before the Jews too. He lived and acted before God, and because his conscience was clear before God, he was bold to speak and to preach the gospel.
Those around him—the Jews, Felix, and the other Roman authorities, did not have a clear conscience. They were corrupt, they told lies, they acted in their own interests, and did wrong things just to preserve the peace and protect themselves. Because of this, we read that “Felix trembled” when he heard Paul speak (Acts 24:25). On Monday we will see what happens when we are not careful to have a good conscience.
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